Death And Resurrection
Seventh in a series on the Great Commission, by Archibald McLean, 1786. Read carefully, and critically.
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Baptism also imports the believers spiritual conformity to Christ in his death and resurrection, by dying unto sin, and rising again to a new life of holiness The chief scope of the apostle in Rom. 6: is to show that believers must not continue in sin that grace may abound; for how shall we that are dead to sin, viz, by Christs death, live any longer therein, namely, in our own persons, as was the case before we knew the grace of God in truth? He reminds us that our death unto sin by the death of Christ was signified by our baptism; wherein we were immersed into his death — buried with him, or planted together in the likeness of his death; by which we were given to know this, that our old man was crucified with him (hina), to the end that the body of sin might be destroyed (viz, in us), that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Now our burial in baptism represents the destruction of this body of sin, or our putting it off, as the body is put off by death (Gal. 5:24 Rom. 8:13). Peter also considers this as signified in baptism, and an effect of Christs death and resurrection. He says, Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust (that he might bring us to God) being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. And having observed that baptism doth now save us by this, he shows that the influence of Christs death upon us must be mortification of sin, and conformity to him in his sufferings (1 Pet. 3:18-22; 4:1-2).
Christ was raised from the death which he suffered for our sins by the glory, i.e., by the Spirit of the Father, called also the power of God, his mighty power; and it is the energy of that same Spirit which quickened Jesus, and dwells in him as the risen head, that begets us to the faith of him by the word, unites us to him as living members of his body, and so quickens and raises us up to a new life of conformity to him in holiness.
This is that spiritual resurrection which is represented in baptism, wherein believers are risen with Christ, through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead, that like as he was raised up by the glory of the Father, even so they also should walk in newness of life. And in reference to this, the apostle exhorts the believing Colossians: If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things on the earth. This he enforces by motives drawn both from their present state and future glory: For ye are dead, (viz: to the law, sin, and the world, by communion with Christ in his death; and your life, to which ye are risen with Christ, and enjoy at present by faith and hope, is hid with Christ in God. But when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Col. 3:1-5)